Menus provide a wealth of information beyond their purely aesthetic value and are a particularly rich resource for aspects of cultural and social history. They give us information on the most popular cuisine of a time period and region and are evidence of changing culinary tastes. They can indicate how particular food items have been used regionally, and in the case of notable restaurants can provide evidence of the work of well-known chefs. Design-wise they are examples of the graphic design elements illustrative of a particular historical time period. For students of menu design they can serve as examples of graphic design, placement and layout. Last but not least, they have a purely nostalgic value for those persons who have visited a particular restaurant or hotel and want to re-live that experience by reading through the menu.

Most people know about Elvis Presley’s connection to Las Vegas—there was the 1964 film Viva Las Vegas starring the rock n’ roll icon and screen goddess Ann-Margaret, the countless performances late in his career, the wedding to Priscilla at the Aladdin Hotel. However, many do not know that it was in part due to Las Vegas that his fledgling career was rescued.

We invite you to take a break from the stress of the season and relax with a few of the rich treasures found in the Menus: Art of Dining Collection. These include historic menus of beautiful design and unique construction created for Christmas and New Year's holiday celebrations. The images are sure to get you in the spirit of the season!

A local Las Vegas restaurant is providing an interesting opportunity for Las Vegas locals to experience a modern take on the historic meal served the night the Titanic crashed. This meal commemorates the 100th Anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic and the chef-selected menu includes 10 courses inspired by those served to first class passengers just hours before the tragedy occured in 1912. For more information on the event taking place this weekend, Saturday, April 14, 2012 contact Bar + Bistro in Las Vegas.